Improvement in liquid-meters



F. A. FOWLER.

LIQUID-METER.

Patented June13,1876.

Wmms s as N.FETERS, FHOTQLITKQGHAFHER. WASHINGTON. D C.

UNITED .STATES TENT FFCE FRANKLIN A. FOWLER, OF ALLEGHFJNY, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR '10 HIMSELF AND ALGERNON S. BELL, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN LIQUID-METERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 175,623, dated .I une 115, 1876 application led l December 18, 1875.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANKLIN A. FoWLER, of Allegheny, county of Allegheny, State ot' Pennsylvania, have invented or discovered a new and useful Improvement in Liquid-Meters; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, concise, and exact'description thereot', reference being had to the accompanying drawin g, making a part of this specification,

in which-like letters indicating like parts- Figure l is a side view, in perspective, ot' my improved meter with the cap or face-plate and registering apparatus removed. Fig. 2 is a like view of the whole complete. Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the same; and Fig. 4 is a detached perspective view of one of the pistons and the xed eccentric guide-rail.

The case A is supported by any suitable base, A1, and is closed by a cap or cover, A2. It is furnished with a supply-port, B, and a discharge-port, B1, with which ports the usual pipes are to be connected. Vithin the case is a wheel, D, outside the periphery ot' which, and inside the case, is a chamber, D', which extends, in the direction ot' the revolution of the wheel, from the supply to the discharge port, opening at its ends into both. Through the remainder of the revolution of the Wheel it Works closely in its case, so as to prevent serious loss by leakage, but with sufficient freedom so as not to be seriously impeded by friction. This part ot'a the case, in fact, forms a continuous abutment from the discharge-port to the inlet-port, andA by this feature of construction the additional advantage is secured of leaving little or no room for dead water, or for the accumulation ot' the sediment or solid impurities which always are present in greater or less quantities in water, oil, &c. Meters having dead-water space are oftenv obstructed in this manner. The wheel D turns on and with a shaft or axle, D2, which extends into, and on one side through, the face-plates ofthe case, and rests in suitable packing or bearings. At intervals less than -the distance between the points of supply and discharge it has recesses d1, of suitable size and shape for receiving, carrying, and guiding the sliding pistons d. These pistous, when projected into the chamber D1,

each constitutes a diaphragm, to cut ofil communication forward and back, and two of them form a chamber to measure the luid inclosed between them, and the last one projected receives the duid pressure, which causes the wheel to revolve and register. To give these pistons the motionsindicated, and cause them to perform their othce-work, I arrange on the inner face of'one ot' the face or cap plates an eccentric or cam -shaped guide rail, a, and make in the corresponding edge of each piston d a notch or recess, d2, Fig. 4.

As each piston passes from the point of discharge to that of supply it occupies its recess. As it comes to the point of supply its notch d2 begins to engage the adjacent end ot the guide a, (which is preferably made with a slight taper,) and is thereby forced out, or projected gradually across the. chamber D1. This motion results from the eccentricity of that part ofthe guide. Such piston is then in position across the chamber D1, andis keptin that position by a concentric part ofthe guide, until the piston next following` shall have been in like .manner projected across the chamber D1, so that between the two one measure of the fluid will be contained. Then, or as soon after as may be desired, the forward-piston is caused to commence its inward or return stroke by a like eccentric or cam-shaped part of the guide a, as shown in the drawing,vso that as soon as the discharge-port is passed it will be wholly in its recess. rlhe sides of the groove d2 are rounded, as shown in Fig. 4, the better to secure the motions described.

For the purpose of registering the amount of water passing through, any suitable apparatus may be employed. As shown, a gearwheel, c, on theend of the axle D2 meshes into a wheel, c', on the axle ot' which is an indexfinger, e, which indicates on the dial-plate p each additional unit of measure. At each revolution a tooth, s, moves a wheel, g, adistance which indicates the'total registry of one revolution 'ot' the finger e, and so on, through any desired number ot wheels g h h, Ste., at pleasure.

rlhe apparatus described may, with equal advantage, be applied to the measurement of other uids, and, particularly, petroleum and its distillates; and, with such changes as will l'from the discharge-port to the inlet-port, and come Within the knowledge of the skilled meawheel Workingolosely against such abutment, ohanic, it may be used as a pump or Waterin combination with recessed pistons el and Wheel. eoeentrio guide-rail a, arranged and combined The pistons described are preferably'made substantially as set forth.

of hard material, such as oase-hardened steel, In testimony whereof I have hereunto set l and then they can be made quite thin and light. my hand. The selection of the proper materials for the other parts will come within the knowledge of v FRANKLIN A' FOWLER' the skilled workman. Witnesses: i

I claim herein as my invention- ALGERNON S. BELL,

A meter-oase having an abutment extending J AMES M. CHRISTY. 

